Granville Centre at Memorial Drive opens to community
A $25 million community centre is drawing creative types such as A.Girl and D Minor to unleash their talents in western Sydney.
Parramatta
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A $25 million community centre is drawing creative types such as A.Girl and D Minor to unleash their talents at the Granville Centre.
The centre, which opened on Tuesday, includes a library, multi-purpose spaces, an art gallery, commercial kitchen, meeting lounge, offices, multi-sports courts and playground and a new pool entry including cafe and kiosk areas.
Another drawcard of the centre includes a music and recording studio and video studio.
The Memorial Drive hub houses a digital recording equipment and software, photography and video equipment.
The recording studio used to be a favourite haunt of A.Girl (real name Angel Tairua) as a teen when hub was the Youth Centre and now the full time musician and singer plans to give the facilities a good workout.
“As a teenager it was the place to go, even if it wasn’t much,’’ the 20-year-old said.
“Whenever I wanted to make music I went there and made music.’’
Among others who are impressed with the new landmark include western Sydney-raised Daniel ‘D Minor’ Harvey, 24, an international recording artist who found salvation in music programs during a turbulent youth.
Like A.Girl, he was also an Australia’s Got Talent contestant and believes in the power of music.
“A facility such as the Granville Centre is important for the future of young people, music is powerful and having a program in the community will change lives,’’ he said.
“Music changed my life and helped me survive while experiencing homelessness and living in foster homes and refuges as a child.’’
Cumberland Council and the State Government jointly funded the project, which has been criticised by former mayor Greg Cummings as an exorbitant amount of ratepayers’ money for a centre that would only be used by a small portion of the community.
